FM07 Q is for Quandary
by Miz Em
Summary: Granger Clan Saga. Colby's sons solve a crime.


"The lady said no," Cameron commented mildly. The two men who had been harrassing the young woman looked him up and down and sneered. They made their way towards him, menace written across their faces. "That's not a good idea," he warned them gently, but it didn't stop them. Almost casually, Cam took one man down with a quick elbow in the solar plexus, and flipped the other man. Cam crossed his arms, "I told you it wasn't a good idea." He sighed when they got up and came at him again. 

"It's a felony to assault a federal officer," a familiar voice said, from behind Cam. Tyler and Justin came around him, flashing their badges. The two men took off. Cam was relieved. He could have taken the two men down, but he wasn't eager to face assault charges.

"I'm not a federal officer," was all he said.

"No, but she is. Well almost. This is Erin Connelly, our forensics accountant." Tyler made the introductions.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Connelly," Cameron took the hand she stretched out to his lips and kissed it. He looked into her eyes and found himself drowning in the sapphire pools of her eyes.

"So you're the infamous Cameron Granger," she said tentatively, her eyes huge behind the horn-rimmed glasses.

"I wouldn't believe anything my brother says about me, Ms. Connelly," Cam said smoothly.

"Oh, no! Agent Granger hasn't said anything about you. I've been working with Asst. Director Reeves," Erin said softly, tugging at the hand that Cameron was still holding. He reluctantly relinquished it.

"And we know that Megan's the best profiler in the country so she's got you pegged," Tyler couldn't resist needling his brother.

Cam rolled his eyes at Tyler. They got along well enough now, but there was a time when a remark like that would have been enough to start a fight.

Justin laughed, he was used to his brothers-in-law now. "We should be going, we have work to do that's not going anywhere fast."

Cam nodded. He pulled out a business card and handed it to Erin, "Ms. Connelly, it was a pleasure to meet you. Feel free to call me. For any reason at all."

Tyler and Justin exchanged amused glances. She was easy to work with and brilliant at her job, but neither considered Erin any great beauty. She was certainly not in the league of the women Cameron usually dated. Nevertheless, she seemed to have caught Cameron's interest.

-----

Cameron made a sound of frustration and got up to gaze out the window of his office. He'd been shuffling papers around on his desk for the past hour and hadn't done anything of value. He just couldn't get those sapphire eyes out of his mind.

Gloria, Cameron's assistant, was surprised to see him just gazing out the window. She'd never seen the man be still for a moment since he joined the firm. He'd worked like a man possessed since he started and he had made partner within two years of joining the firm. That made him the youngest and the fastest to partner in the history of the firm. She'd often wondered to herself if he felt he had something to prove. All she knew was that she'd had to break down and ask for help in order to keep up with him. She'd been embarrassed that she, the assistant, had needed an assistant. But they'd given him whatever he wanted, he had made the firm a rich one.

"Cameron," she said softly.

He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled. He was very fond of her. She was an older woman, divorced with two sons. She'd been invaluable to him. "What's up? Are the boys okay?"

She returned his smile, "They're fine. Have you heard the scuttlebutt? About Jensen Financial Services?" Jensen Financial Services was their biggest rival.

That piqued his curiosity. Gloria rarely gossiped. Well, to him anyway. "No, what's going on?"

"Brody Jensen, the younger brother, was murdered in his office. The FBI are there now."

Cameron frowned, "Investigating a murder? It doesn't sound like it's under their jurisdiction."

"They're investigating embezzlement along with the murder. Harriet's in a state." Gloria said softly.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Harriet's his assistant. She's a friend of mine."

Cameron grinned. This was news to him. And it showed a huge measure of her trust in him. Friends with the assistant of a partner at a rival firm would have been viewed as a conflict of interest by just about anyone else at the firm. "Why are you telling me this, Gloria?"

Gloria hesitated. He'd been very good to her, and she hated to ask for help yet again, but she needed a favor. "Well, the FBI think she might have killed him."

That startled him. "And?"

"She said that Agent Tyler Granger interviewed her and Agent Justin Braxton was lead agent in charge of the investigation."

The light began to dawn. "Gloria, the investigation will be what it will be. There's really nothing I can do for her. I trust my brother and brother-in-law to find the culprit. What did you think I would be able to do?"

She sighed softly, "I don't know. I didn't mean it to sound like I was asking you to influence the investigation. I just thought maybe you could offer to consult or something. You understand financial services like no one else."

Gloria paused, as if she was trying to come to a decision, then she said hesitantly, "Harriet was his lover."

Cameron groaned to himself. Jensen was a married man.

"Yes, I know. It complicates things," she gnawed on her lip with worry. "But I'm sure she couldn't have done it."

"Unless you were with her when it happened, you can't be sure of that, Gloria."

"She was waiting for him at home, as usual. I talked to her on the phone, trying for the umpteenth time to talk her into leaving the relationship. She did that a lot, wait at home for him. He didn't always show," Gloria said sadly.

Cameron sighed, "I'll talk to my brother, Gloria, and find out what's going on."

----

Tyler grinned when he saw Cameron's name come up on his cell phone, "You can't have her number, Cam."

Cameron laughed, "I can get it some other way. But that's not why I called."

"What's up?"

"I wanted to see if you wanted or needed my help on the Jensen case."

"How do you know about the Jensen case?" Tyler asked sharply.

"Gloria, my assistant, is friends with Jensen's assistant," Cam said softly.

Tyler sighed, "That's a bad deal, Cam. You don't want to get involved." When Cam didn't reply, Tyler relented, "I'll talk to Justin, Cam, see what he wants to do. I know we're stretched for resources. There's a lot to cover and Erin's brilliant but she's just one person."

"Thanks, Ty."

"Are you sure you're not doing this just to get close to Erin?" Tyler couldn't resist teasing.

Cam chuckled, "I don't need your help in that department, Ty."

"So I keep hearing," Tyler replied dryly. "Later, Cam."

----

"Well, there's a sight to behold," Megan said to Colby. She was laughing.

He grinned at her, "I would never have bet money that Tyler and Cam would be working together without fists flying." He looked out at them, their heads down discussing something in the bullpen, the same bullpen that he used to work in. "Are you okay with this?"

Megan shrugged, "It's Justin's case. He's okay with it, so I'm okay with it." She grinned at Colby, "Notice anything else?"

Colby laughed, "You mean how Cam's been looking at Erin?" He'd already been on the phone to Hannah about it.

"Erin's totally clueless about it, but she could lead him anywhere she wanted to, if I read the signs right," Megan had been highly amused at Cam's interest. The playboy had apparently fallen hard.

Colby smirked, he'd had similar thoughts.

"Kind of reminds me of you," she said dryly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." But he knew she was right. Still, he was enjoying every minute of it.

----

Cameron was in a quandary. Offering to consult with the FBI had brought him in close contact with Erin Connelly. But not in the right way. He had a personal rule, never to date someone he worked with, and Erin fell squarely under that category. He sighed, he would have to be patient and wait till the case was over before making any advances.

Cam looked up at the sound of his father's voice.

"Lunch, everyone?" Colby asked. Then he grinned wickedly, "Cam's buying."

Cam huffed a surprised laugh, but nodded agreeably.

Jonathan and Tyler cheered and got their stuff together. Justin picked up the phone to call Keeley and Darla. Cam shook his head in amusement. The lunch group grew quickly when he'd been volunteered to pick up the check.

"Ms. Connelly? Would you like to join us for lunch?" Colby asked gently.

"Oh! N-no, A-Assistant D-d-director Granger," Erin stammered. Cam looked at her in surprise, as she dropped the papers in her hands, then knocked over first one stack then another of papers as she tried to pick them up.

Everyone pitched in to help her, but they had resigned expressions on their faces. Cam surmised that it wasn't the first time she'd reacted this way. Erin turned bright red with embarrassment. He raised an eyebrow to his father but Colby shook his head, a slightly mystified expression on his face.

"I'll meet all of you at the cafe," Colby said quietly and left.

Erin burst into tears. The guys looked uncomfortable.

Jonathan said gently, "Erin, don't worry about it. It happens."

But they looked relieved when they saw Keeley and Darla get off the elevator. They took the opportunity to meet them in the hallway.

Cam gently removed her glasses, and brushed her tears away. "What's up? My dad has his faults, but he would never hurt a woman."

Erin shook her head, still sobbing.

"Shhh. It's okay. Don't cry," Cam soothed her. He ran gentle fingers across her cheekbones then down the side of her face to her chin. He tilted her face up to him. "God, you're beautiful!" he whispered and kissed her trembling lips, personal rules be damned.

Her eyes widened in surprise. If was the last thing she'd expected from Cameron Granger. He had a reputation for being a ladies man, and she thought she looked mousy, at best.

"Come to lunch with us," he coaxed. "You can sit with me, as far as possible from my dad. And tell me what he's done to you."

Before she even realized what was happening, she was walking out of the bullpen with him.

"Erin Connelly?" Keeley whispered in stunned amazement to her husband. Justin shrugged, grinning. "But Justin! Erin Connelly? She's such a mouse!" Then she couldn't say anymore because Cam and Erin had joined them.

-----

Colby was amused to see Erin walk in with Cam. He'd never figured out why Erin was so skittish around him. Perhaps Cam could find out.

Erin's hand tightened around Cam's as they walked into the cafe. She darted a nervous glance at Colby, but relaxed when he turned his attention to Keeley and Justin. True to his word, Cam settled them at the other end of the table.

Cam grinned when Erin ordered the lasagna. "Like that a lot, do you?"

"I love lasagna," she sighed with anticipation. "It goes right to my hips, and I have to work out twice as hard, but I don't care."

"Well, I'll just have to take you for the best lasagna in town someday."

"Where's that?" Erin's eyes sparkled at the prospect.

"My mother's," Cam replied softly, watching for her reaction.

She sighed, darting another nervous look at the other end of the table.

"What's he done anyway?"

Erin looked Cam in the eye and sighed again. "Nothing to me personally, really. I was there when he attacked Justin."

That startled a laugh out of Cam earning a small grin from her.

"I know, I know. He and Justin seem to get along just fine now, but he's still intimidating to me. You should have seen him that day, Cameron. I thought he was going to kill Justin."

"I understand that Justin thought so too," Cameron was grinning. He liked his brother-in-law, and thought very highly of him. Especially for standing up to his father. Colby was very protective of them all, but especially of his little princesses. "Well, I'm glad it isn't any worse than that. I just couldn't imagine what he could've done to a beautiful woman like you."

Erin looked at him curiously, "Why do you call me that?"

"Call you what?" Cam said in surprise.

"A beautiful woman."

"Because you are," he said softly, "I spent the rest of the day thinking about you after we met yesterday."

"I think you need glasses," she said laughing.

"There," Cam said, smiling at her, "That sparkle in those sapphire eyes. The soft blush in that flawless alabaster skin. The lustrous black hair. Full lips just made for kissing. I call that a beautiful woman."

She rolled her eyes at him, but the smile stayed on her lips for the rest of the day.

-----

Cam knew his job well and had no lack of confidence in his own abilities. Nonetheless, it was an eye opener for him in consulting with the FBI. He marvelled at Erin's grasp of the Jensen accounts, knowing that she'd only had a day, two at most, to review the books. And his respect for his brother and friends grew in watching them patiently sift through details, following each lead, and drawing conclusions from the mess of details. He'd never thought much about what his father did while they were growing up, but realized that he'd sadly underestimated him, if what his brother and the rest of the team were anything to go by.

It was late when Justin finally told everyone to go home.

Cam stretched in relief. He thought he saw something that needed checking into, a discrepancy in Jensen's financial decisions. But it could wait.

"Dinner, Erin?" he asked, smiling when she looked up at him with a shy smile.

"No, I don't think so."

"No? You're breaking my heart!" Cam clutched his heart and dropped to his knees in front of her. She laughed at his silliness.

Tyler busted out laughing too, "Ignore him, Erin, he isn't worth it."

Justin smiled and shook his head, but his mind was already with his wife, who had gone home only a few hours ago. Everyone left, only Cam and Erin were left in the bullpen.

"It's very flattering, Cam, but I'm beat. I really just want to drop in the bed and get some sleep."

Cam relented, "All right. I'll take a rain check. I'll see you tomorrow," Cam hugged and kissed a surprised Erin, and walked her to her car.

-----

Hannah was amused to see all three of her sons jockeying for position in front of her refrigerator. She'd never had any luck getting them to eat leftovers when they were growing up, but here they were, hunting for leftovers, after they'd finally moved out of the house.

"Haven't you heard of restaurants?" she asked, laughing, "You don't live here anymore! Feed yourselves some other way!"

They just grinned at her and split up whatever they could find. That was another difference, they did it amicably. She couldn't remember when they'd ever shared anything equally without a fist fight first.

"Why aren't you with Erin, Cam?" Tyler grinned with mischief in his eyes. "Did you strike out already?"

Cam elbowed him out of the way, "She wanted to sleep."

Brandon laughed, joining in, even though he had no idea who this Erin was, "She just didn't want to sleep with you."

Cam shook his fist at Brandon, but he was smiling, "I just didn't want to scare her away."

Tyler looked more closely at his brother, "She's really got under your skin, hasn't she? What do you see in her anyway? She's the last person I'd have expected you to fall for."

"What the heck does that mean?" Cam demanded heatedly. "She's a beautiful woman and she's smart. Why wouldn't I fall for her?"

Colby glanced at Hannah and almost laughed aloud at the look of fascination on her face. He'd never seen Cam like this before either, but he'd at least had the day to get used to the idea. Brandon just looked amused.

"Okay, okay," Tyler backed off, but he was grinning, "So when are you bringing her home to meet Mama? Or is she too afraid of Dad for that?"

"Afraid of Dad?" Hannah looked at Colby in surprise.

He shrugged, "I haven't a clue, Hannah. But she falls apart whenever I'm around."

"She's intimidated because she saw you attack Justin. Thought you were going to kill him. I guess she was afraid that you'd do the same to her if she crossed you or something," Cam explained.

Colby looked relieved.

"So, when do I get to meet her?" Hannah was now dying of curiosity about this woman.

Cam shrugged, "I don't know. It's going to depend on how comfortable she gets with me."

Hannah made a face at Colby who was laughing at her poorly disguised curiosity. But she had to be satisfied with that.

-----

"Erin, have you taken a look at these offshore investments in Jensen's portfolio?" Cam asked her a few days later.

"Not yet, why?"

"They don't quite fit in with the rest of the portfolio. Everything looks fine at first glance, but the deposits are off schedule and the policies of these investments aren't the same," Cam frowned. "Is there any way we can find out who the beneficiary is on these?"

"Sure," Erin checked her computer. "The sole beneficiary is Jensen's wife. These were opened about a year ago. Small amounts were deposited, some were transferred from his other accounts. No regular schedule that I can see."

"Did Jensen open them, or did she?" Cam was curious.

"Looks like she did, why?"

"I was wondering if she'd found out about his lover right about then and opened these as a nest egg for herself," Cam said thoughtfully.

Justin sighed, "A woman scorned. We were looking at her but we couldn't tie her to the embezzlement. But this might be what we're looking for. Thanks, Cam, it gives us a little more to go on." He left with Tyler.

"Erin, have dinner with me tonight, please?" Cam asked, catching her hand and raising it to his lips for a kiss.

She smiled tentatively at him. "Cam, this case isn't finished."

"You still have to eat. Have dinner with me," he persuaded her.

"Okay," she smiled shyly at him.

He grinned at her, delighted that she'd agreed, "I'll come back by around 7pm. Be ready." He had to return to his office, his work had piled up while he'd been consulting on the Jensen case.

Erin watched him leave. She was in a quandary. There were things that she felt he needed to know, but she was reluctant to tell him. He made her feel special, beautiful even, but she wasn't sure that he would want to continue the relationship if she told him. Just one dinner, she told herself, I'll just enjoy these few stolen hours with him, and pretend that I don't know. I'll deal with the consequences later.

----

He'd had her laughing all through dinner. She'd been delighted with his choice of restaurants, he certainly knew his food and wine. And the ride in his Porsche. She sighed with pleasure, remembering how he masterfully he'd maneuvered the car on the winding coastal road.

He smiled, "Enjoying yourself?"

"Mmm, yeah," she purred. "Why a Porsche?"

"Why not?" he said laughing, as he pulled into her driveway. "I like fast cars."

She smiled, "I mean why a Porsche instead of a Ferrari, or a Lamborghini, or even a Bugatti?"

He went still. "What makes you think I could afford one of those?" he asked flatly, his eyes shuttered.

Oh, no, Erin, you fool, she cursed herself. But there was no getting out of it now. "Cam," she said softly, "Please understand, I was only doing my job." She almost sobbed, he was stone-faced, and so remote he might as well have been a mile away instead of in the car with her. "Your family's finances were investigated a year or so ago. The FBI was suspicious of their substantial resources. I did the investigation, so I know everything about you and your family's finances. I know you manage their finances, and I know that you're very wealthy."

Cam was silent for so long, she wasn't sure if he was going to say anything. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and started to get out of the car.

"No, wait," he sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just not something I talk about. Just, don't say anything to my family about what I do with some of that money."

She smiled faintly, "I haven't before, no reason to do so now. But are you sure Mrs. Sinclair wouldn't already have said something to your mother about you financing the children's shelter and the abused women's shelter?"

"I just... don't like to talk about it."

"Alright, I won't. I'm sorry. I meant to tell you earlier, but I wanted to have the one dinner with you. I mean, just in case you didn't want anything to do with me after you found out about the investigation," She looked a little embarrassed. "What now?"

He smiled faintly, "How about dinner at my mother's on Saturday night?"


End file.
